Hybrid Solar Lighting Making Progress

OAK RIDGE, TN, United States (UPI) -- U.S. government scientists say
they`re pleased with progress made in creating a hybrid solar lighting
system at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Researchers at the Department of Energy facility say five hybrid solar
lighting systems are already in place and another 20 are to be soon
installed.

'This is the ultimate `green` technology,' said Duncan Earl, a co-developer
of the technology and chief technology officer of Oak Ridge startup
company Sunlight Direct, which licensed the technology from ORNL last
year.

The hybrid solar lighting technology uses a rooftop-mounted 48-inch
diameter collector and secondary mirror that track the sun during the
day. The collector system focuses the sunlight into 127 optical fibers
connected to hybrid light fixtures equipped with diffusion rods visually
similar to fluorescent light bulbs. Those rods spread light in all directions.

One collector powers eight to 12 hybrid light fixtures, which can illuminate
about 1,000 square feet. During times of little or no sunlight, a sensor
controls the intensity of the artificial lamps to maintain a constant
level of illumination.

Beta testing will be conducted at various locations in California, Nevada,
New York, Minnesota and Texas.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International